Traversing Emmaus

Homily for Thursday in the Twelfth Week of Ordinary Time, delivered Chanel School Chapel, Gladstone, Qld.

"Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he came to the throne, and he reigned for three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Nehushta, daughter of Elnathan, from Jerusalem. He did what is displeasing to the Lord, just as his father had done..." (cf. 2 Kngs 24:8-17).

"Jesus said to his disciples: ‘It is not those who say to me, “Lord, Lord,” who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven. When the day comes many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name, work many miracles in your name?” Then I shall tell them to their faces: I have never known you; away from me, you evil men! Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock... But everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand...' Jesus had now finished what he wanted to say, and his teaching made a deep impression on the people because he taught them with authority, and not like their own scribes." (cf. Mt 7:21-29).
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"Look upon yourself as a tree planted beside the water, which bears its fruit in due season; the more it is shaken by the wind, the deeper it strikes its roots into the ground... Cling to God, and leave all the rest to Him: He will not let you perish. Your soul is very dear to Him, He wishes to save it." (Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque).

Artwork: Parable of the Fig Tree by Jan Luyken (in the Bowyer Bible, Bolton, England).

Homily for Wednesday in the Twelfth Week of Ordinary Time (Feast of Saints John Fisher, Bishop, and Thomas More), delivered Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Gladstone, Qld.

"The high priest Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, ‘I have found the Book of the Law in the Temple of the Lord.’’’ And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, who read it... On hearing the contents of the Book of the Law, the king tore his garments, and gave the following order: ‘Go and consult the Lord on behalf of me and the people... great indeed must be the anger of the Lord'..." (cf. 2 Kngs 22:8-23:3).

"Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Beware of false prophets who come to you disguised as sheep but underneath are ravenous wolves. You will be able to tell them by their fruits. Can people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, a sound tree produces good fruit but a rotten tree bad fruit. A sound tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor a rotten tree bear good fruit. Any tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown on the fire. I repeat, you will be able to tell them by their fruits.’" (Mt 7:15-20).

Artwork: "King Josiah" in The Story of the Bible of Genesis to Revelation (1873).

Homily for Tuesday in the Twelfth Week of Ordinary Time (Feast of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga), delivered Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Gladstone, Qld.

"Sennacherib, King of the Assyrians, sent messengers to Hezekiah saying, ‘Tell this to Hezekiah king of Judah, “Do not let your God on whom you are relying deceive you, when he says: Jerusalem shall not fall into the power of the king of Assyria. You have learnt by now what the kings of Assyria have done to every country, putting them all under the ban. Are you likely to be spared?”’ Hezekiah took the letter from the hands of the messenger and read it; he then went up to the Temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. Hezekiah said this prayer in the presence of the Lord, ‘O Lord of Hosts, God of Israel, enthroned on the cherubs, you alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth, you have made heaven and earth. Give ear, Lord, and listen. Open your eyes, Lord, and see. Hear the words of Sennacherib who has sent to insult the living God... It is true, O Lord...?' That same night the angel of the Lord went out and struck down a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. Sennacherib struck camp and left; he returned home and stayed in Nineveh." (cf. 2 Kngs 19:9-11,14-21,31-36).

"Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls in front of pigs... Enter by the narrow gate [for] it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it.’" (cf. Mt 7:6, 12-14).

Artwork: "Christ Cleansing the Temple" by El Greco, (1570).

Homily for Thursday in the Eleventh Week of Ordinary Time, delivered Chanel School Chapel, Gladstone, Qld.

"The prophet Elijah arose like a fire, his word flaring like a torch. It was he who brought famine on the people, and who decimated them in his zeal. By the word of the Lord, he shut up the heavens, he also, three times, brought down fire. How glorious you were in your miracles, Elijah! Has anyone reason to boast as you have...? Elijah was shrouded in the whirlwind, and Elisha was filled with his spirit; throughout his life no ruler could shake him, and no one could subdue him. No task was too hard for him, and even in death his body prophesied. In his lifetime he performed wonders, and in death his works were marvelous." (cf. Eccl 48:1-15).

"Jesus said to his disciples: ‘In your prayers do not babble as the pagans do, for they think that by using many words they will make themselves heard. Do not be like them; your Father knows what you need before you ask him. So you should pray like this..." (cf. Lk 6:7-15).

"'Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.' But when we pray, do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or 'out of the depths' of a humble and contrite heart? He who humbles himself will be exalted; humility is the foundation of prayer, Only when we humbly acknowledge that 'we do not know how to pray as we ought,' are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer..." (CCC 2559).

Artwork: "The Lord's Prayer" by John Morgan Coaley, (1889).

Homily for Tuesday in the Eleventh Week of Ordinary Time, delivered Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Gladstone, Qld.

"This is what happened when the Lord took Elijah up to heaven in the whirlwind: Elijah and Elisha set out from Gilgal, Elijah said, ‘Elisha, please stay here, the Lord is only sending me to the Jordan.’ But he replied, ‘As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you!’ And they went on together... When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Make your request. What can I do for you before I am taken from you?’ Elisha answered, ‘Let me inherit a double share of your spirit.’ ‘Your request is a difficult one’ Elijah said. ‘If you see me while I am being taken from you, it shall be as you ask...' and Elijah went up to heaven in the whirlwind. Elisha saw it, and shouted, ‘My father! My father! Chariot of Israel and its chargers!’ Then he lost sight of him, and taking hold of his clothes he tore them in half. He picked up the cloak of Elijah which had fallen, and went..." (2 Kings 2:1-14).

"When you give alms, [or] pray, [or] fast... your Father who sees all that is done in secret... will reward you'..."

"There is one thing I ask of the Lord, only this do I seek: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life." (Communion Antiphon, Ps 26:4).

Artwork: "The Garden of Eden" by Lucas Cranach, (c. 16th).

Homily for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, 2022, delivered in St Therese's Church, Monto, Qld.
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The last of three Thanksgiving Masses for the Callide Valleys.

"Blest be God the Father, and the Only Begotten Son of God, and also the Holy Spirit, for he has shown us his merciful love." (Entrance Antiphon).

"It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God. For with your Only Begotten Son and the Holy Spirit  you are one God, one Lord: not in the unity of a single person, but in a Trinity of one substance. For what you have revealed to us of your glory we believe equally of your Son and of the Holy Spirit,
so that, in the confessing of the true and eternal Godhead, you might be adored in what is proper to each Person, their unity in substance, and their equality in majesty. For this is praised by Angels and Archangels, Cherubim, too, and Seraphim, who never cease to cry out each day, as with one voice they acclaim: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest." (Preface for the Mystery of the Most Holy Trinity).
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"In adoring the Holy Trinity, life-giving, consubstantial, and indivisible, the Church's faith also professes the distinction of persons. When the Father sends his Word, he always sends his Breath. In their joint mission, the Son and the Holy Spirit are distinct but inseparable. To be sure, it is Christ who is seen, the visible image of the invisible God, but it is the Spirit who reveals him." (CCC 689).

"By his coming, which never ceases, the Holy Spirit causes the world to enter into the 'last days,' the time of the Church, the Kingdom already inherited though not yet consummated:

We have seen the true Light, we have received the heavenly Spirit, we have found the true faith: we adore the indivisible Trinity, who has saved us." (CCC 732).

Artwork: Depiction of the Holy Spirit as a dove, by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, (c. 1660).

Homily for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, 2022, delivered in St Joseph's Church, Biloela, Qld.
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The second of three Thanksgiving Masses for the Callide Valleys.

"God our Father, who by sending into the world the Word of truth and the Spirit of sanctification made known to the human race your wondrous mystery, grant us, we pray, that in professing the true faith, we may acknowledge the Trinity of eternal glory and adore your Unity, powerful in majesty. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever." (Collect of the Solemnity).

"When I see the heavens, the work of your hands, the moon and the stars which you arranged, what is man that you should keep him in mind, mortal man that you care for him? Yet you have made him little less than a god; with glory and honour you crowned him, gave him power over the works of your hand, put all things under his feet. All of them, sheep and cattle, yes, even the savage beasts, birds of the air, and fish that make their way through the waters — O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!" (Ps 8:4-9).

"Jesus said to his disciples: I still have many things to say to you but they would be too much for you now. But when the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you to the complete truth, since he will not be speaking as from himself but will say only what he has learnt; and he will tell you of the things to come. He will glorify me, since all he tells you will be taken from what is mine. Everything the Father has is mine; that is why I said: All he tells you will be taken from what is mine." (Jn 16:12-15).
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"We can invoke God as 'Father' because the Son of God made man has revealed him to us. In this Son, through Baptism, we are incorporated and adopted as sons of God." (CCC 2798).

"He who believes in Christ becomes a son [or daughter] of God. This filial adoption transforms [them] by giving [them] the ability to follow the example of Christ, [and] of acting rightly and doing good. In union with [their] Savior, the disciple attains the perfection of charity which is holiness. Having matured in grace, the moral life blossoms into eternal life in the glory of heaven." (CCC 1709).

Artwork: The oldest known icon of Christ Pantocrator (6th Century) at Saint Catherine's Monastery. Notice the dual expressions seeking to emphasise Christ's human and divine nature. 

Homily for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, 2022, delivered in St Michael's Church, Moura, Qld. , relieving the while Fr Simeon is on holidays.
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One of three Thanksgiving Massed offered for the gracious hospitality and prayerful support given by the people in the Callide Valley since my visit as a Seminarian in Advent of 2016.

"The Lord created me when his purpose first unfolded, before the oldest of his works. From everlasting I was firmly set, from the beginning, before earth came into being..." (cf. Prov 8); "O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!" (Ps 8); "Through our Lord Jesus Christ... the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us." (cf Rm 5:1-5).

"Jesus said to his disciples: I still have many things to say to you but they would be too much for you now. But when the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you to the complete truth, since he will not be speaking as from himself but will say only what he has learnt; and he will tell you of the things to come. He will glorify me, since all he tells you will be taken from what is mine. Everything the Father has is mine; that is why I said: All he tells you will be taken from what is mine." (Jn 16:12-15).
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See a very simple definition of 'kataphatic' and 'apophatic' spirituality here (by author Jim Manney), and a more in-depth look at the terms here (by Fr Frederick McLeod SJ).

Artwork: a portion of The Heavenly and Earthly Trinities by Murillo (c. 1677).

Homily for the Solemnity of Pentecost, 2022, delivered in Our Lady to Star of the Sea, Qld.

"Now there were devout men living in Jerusalem from every nation under heaven, and at this sound they all assembled, each one bewildered to hear these men speaking his own language. They were amazed and astonished." (cf. Acts 2).

"Holy Spirit, Lord of Light, from the clear celestial height thy pure beaming radiance give.

Come, thou Father of the poor, come with treasures which endure; come, thou light of all that live!

Thou, of all consolers best, thou, the soul’s delightful guest, dost refreshing peace bestow

Thou in toil art comfort sweet, pleasant coolness in the heat, solace in the midst of woe.

Light immortal, light divine, visit thou these hearts of thine, and our inmost being fill:

If thou take thy grace away, nothing pure in man will stay, all his good is turned to ill.

Heal our wounds, our strength renew, on our dryness pour thy dew, wash the stains of guilt away:

Bend the stubborn heart and will, melt the frozen, warm the chill, guide the steps that go astray.

Thou, on us who evermore, thee confess and thee adore, with thy sevenfold gifts descend:

Give us comfort when we die, give us life with thee on high, give us joys that never end."
(Pentecost Sequence).

Artwork: The Pentecost depicted in a 14th-century Missal.

Homily for the Solemnity of Pentecost, 2022, delivered in Our Lady to Star of the Sea, Qld.

"When Pentecost day came round, they had all met in one room, when suddenly they heard what sounded like a powerful wind from heaven, the noise of which filled the entire house..." (cf. Acts 2).

"It is not as though Christ had entered a man-made sanctuary which was only modelled on the real one; but it was heaven itself, so that he could appear in the actual presence of God on our behalf... through the blood of Jesus we have the right to enter the sanctuary, by a new way which he has opened for us, a living opening through the curtain, that is to say, his body. And we have the supreme high priest over all the house of God. So [let us] go in." (cf. Heb 9:24-10:23).

"Your interests, however, are not in the unspiritual, but in the spiritual, since the Spirit of God has made his home in you. In fact, unless you possessed the Spirit of Christ you would not belong to him." (cf. Rm 8:8-17).

"Jesus said to his disciples: If you love me you will keep my commandments. I shall ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you for ever. If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him and make our home with him...'" (cf. Jn 14:15-23).
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"The Church, 'in the course of the year, . . . unfolds the whole mystery of Christ from his Incarnation and Nativity through his Ascension, to Pentecost and the expectation of the blessed hope of the coming of the Lord' (SC 102 § 2); On the day of Pentecost when the seven weeks of Easter had come to an end, Christ's Passover is fulfilled in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, manifested, given, and communicated as a divine person: of his fullness, Christ, the Lord, pours out the Spirit in abundance." (CCC 1194, 731).

Artwork: a map of Jerusalem noting the place of the Pentecost, Ubi apostoli acceperunt spiritum sanctum, at the location of the Cenacle (1472).